Really sorry for such a long reply but I recently started university and it's been a little difficult managing my time. I have a lot of reading to catch up on and assignment's to produce so I don't even know how I am going to cope with NaNoWriMo but I'm going to try my best to post regularly. Hope you enjoy the latest chapter, it might be a little poor as I have been out of the habit for a while but otherwise, please enjoy!

I stared at him for a moment, scrambling for a polite way of telling him to jump off the side of the boat and leave me be. Failing that, I chose to swallow my pride and follow him into one of the emptier drawing rooms aboard the ship. It was far from the kind of place I would have liked to be, the air thick with cigar smoke and the only sounds in the room coming from an elderly gentleman's occasional wheezy cough or the constant ticking of the clock above the mantel.

"May I get you a drink?" he offered as he gestured to a sofa where I suppose he intended me to sit. I pretended not to have noticed and chose a different chair, feeling rather rebellious at such a simple action. He barely seems to notice, continuing without very much thought "A champagne? Or a wine perhaps?"

I glance over to the small bar occupying the darker half of the room. A young waiter stands behind, picking at his fingernails and struggling with boredom. His only customer had white hair with robes of a deep purple, his glasses had fell off of his face completely. He sat slumped over in a state of sleep.

"Thank you but I think I had my fill of wine at the meal" I try to focus back on Victor though honestly the bartender that was scrutinizing his nail beds was of more interest. Victor sat in the seat he had originally offered to me. Giving him his due, he did not waste any time. He must have been sat a mere few seconds before he jumped straight into the meat of the conversation.

"I won't waste our time milady, I have important business to attend to" he said looking at the clock rather than myself "Both myself and my father have been in talk with your parent's recently and have come to the conclusion that both you and I are very well suited for marriage"

"Victor I-"

"Hush" He shot me a cold, stern look before continuing "A good wife knows when to hold her tongue. Your mother did warn me as much. Never the less, you come from good breeding and you aren't too harsh on the eyes. Your blood status is certainly a desirable aspect not to mention what you would benefit from the arrangement. My family can offer you wealth and estate that you could scarcely imagine. So after careful consideration…I will accept you as a fiancé"

I sat for a moment in stunned silence. Torn between horror, embarrassment and sheer rage I wasn't entirely sure where to begin. There were so many words I wanted to say, most of which were not for a lady of my class to speak.

"Sir, you astonish me" I try and control myself but my voice comes out far shakier than I intended "Firstly, I have far more estate and wealth than I need nor scarcely want as it already stands. As for the rest of your proposal, you simply assume my answer is to be yes"

"Come now" Victor smile was similar to that of cat that was toying with a mouse before it went for the kill "You need not be coy with me, you've already won me! Now let's not delay this any longer and let's share the good news with our families"

"I was polite" I could feel myself shake as I rose from my seat and looked down at him "But I cannot pretend anymore. I shall not be your wife Mr Evermonde, good evening"

Not wanting to see his reaction I hastily made my exit. Would he be disappointed, sad even? I sensed that the only thing that may have been hurt may have been his pride. I was halfway across the room when his voice, smooth as butter but oddly haunting, reached out to me from where he sat.

"It's a shame" I paused in my tracks to listen to him, though I know now that I should have continued to walk "Imagine how your mother will respond to the societal gossip, bearing the shame of her daughters rejection of marriage to perhaps the most eligible bachelor in Wizarding Society. That's before they find out that your dear father has been demoted and asked to leave his office…I would not want to be the cause of that grievance"

A cold shiver fell down my spine and I turned around to see the smug smile painted over his lips. He seemed very proud of himself indeed, grinning like a hyena. I took a step closer, my joints feeling stiff with shock.

"Are you threatening me, Mr Evermonde?"

"Maybe" he said rising from his chair and moving towards me. He came so close to me and for a moment I felt like I couldn't breathe. He rose his hand and I flinched, expecting to be hit. Instead his fingers, cold and sweaty, stroked along the side of my cheek and cupped my chin. The touch of his skin sent waves of nausea coursing through me "I'll let you think about it"

I stood frozen to the spot in the floor as he walked out, leaving me. I don't know how long I stood there for. I wasn't scared of my father losing his job or my mother's shame. I was scared of Victor. There was something very unhinged about him and it unnerved me. Needing air, I gathered my skirts and made haste to the deck.